Why a development programme?
In the world of competitive skating, the journey from a junior athlete to an elite senior is a challenging one, requiring guidance and specialised training. Our programme is committed to providing exactly that, acting as a bridge between junior-level accomplishments and senior-level excellence.
By establishing our own development programme, we strive to address the requests from various smaller skating nations focusing on Team Novus’ goal to make competitive speed skating more accessible and international. In collaboration with the Belgian and British skating federations, we are excited to establish a pathway for these athletes.
Our promise
At the heart of the Team Novus Development Programme lies a promise—to guide our athletes to the World Cup level. We understand the magnitude of this commitment and evaluate each athlete on a case-by-case basis to determine our ability to deliver on this promise. We are dedicated to nurturing new talent and are actively welcoming new athletes into our programme.
The programme
Head Coach Daniel Greig is excited about the programme’s launch. “Over the past months, we have further refined our programme’s content. With a complete coaching staff, including former world and Olympic champion Michel Mulder playing a pivotal role in the development programme, and our exclusive tools enabling remote individual guidance, we believe we can elevate the new group’s performance quickly. This programme marks a significant milestone towards our objectives.”
Our comprehensive programme encompasses an array of accurately constructed elements to provide a holistic approach to development:
- Remote Coaching: Athletes in our core Novus team have benefited greatly from remote coaching, and this advantage extends to our development athletes as well.
- Tailored Training Programme: Each athlete will receive a personalised training regimen designed to hone their skills and prepare them for the challenges of elite competition.
- Lifestyle Coaching: We understand that success transcends the rink, which is why we offer guidance on nutrition, mental resilience, and other aspects that are crucial for athlete development.
- Remote Testing: Regular evaluation ensures progress tracking and allows us to fine-tune training plans for optimal results.
- Intensive Training Camps: Three immersive training camps will provide athletes with concentrated learning opportunities and a chance to interact with peers and coaches.
- Training Facilities: Our athletes enjoy access to training at the renowned Thialf facility during designated Novus ice hours.
- Potential Graduation: The Team Novus Development Programme is a stepping stone to the core team. Athletes have the opportunity to graduate into the core Novus team based on their progress and performance.
Meet the athletes
Allow us to introduce the athletes who form the foundation of our development programme:
- Laurens Berge 🇧🇪
- Robbe Beelen 🇧🇪
- Daan van der Elst 🇧🇪
- Fran Vanhoutte 🇧🇪
- Samuel Morris 🇬🇧
- Germain Deschamps 🇫🇷
- Marine Balanant 🇫🇷
Through our authentic, innovative, diverse united and limitless approach we hope to contribute to shaping the future of competitive skating, nurturing talent, and transforming aspirations into achievement!